Russian President Vladimir Putin has raised alarms about a potential “environmental catastrophe” following Ukrainian military strikes on oil facilities in Tuapse, located in the Krasnodar region of Russia. His comments were made during a security meeting regarding the upcoming State Duma elections in 2026, as reported by the Russian news agency TASS.
Putin characterized the actions of the Ukrainian forces as “terrorism,” suggesting that Kyiv aims to alter the situation on the battlefield through these attacks. He stated, “This will not change anything. […] But the threats are real and increasing, as I have already mentioned. […] The Armed Forces of Ukraine are increasingly targeting civilian infrastructure with drones. The recent strikes on energy facilities in Tuapse could potentially lead to serious ecological consequences,” he emphasized.
The Ukrainian military targeted oil processing and storage facilities in Tuapse on April 16 and April 20. Following the second strike, the Tuapse Oil Refinery halted its sole oil processing unit, which has a capacity of 12 million tons per year. By April 24, local authorities reported that firefighters had successfully extinguished the resulting fire.
On the night of April 28, Ukrainian drones again struck oil facilities in Tuapse.
The Tuapse Oil Refinery is among the largest in Russia, specializing in primary oil processing. Located in the Krasnodar region, it is operated by LLC “RN-Tuapsinsky Refinery” and forms part of a unified production complex with the marine terminal operated by PJSC “Rosneft” and LLC “RN-Morskoy terminal Tuapse,” which is also part of the Rosneft structure.
Putin's recent statements highlight growing concerns over the impact of Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil facilities in Tuapse, emphasizing potential environmental risks. The situation escalates as attacks on critical infrastructure continue.